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Comm 111: Communication Skills Question Paper
Comm 111: Communication Skills
Course:Communication Skills
Institution: Kenya Methodist University question papers
Exam Year:2008
KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY
END OF SECOND TRIMESTER 2008 EXAMINATIONS
FACULTY : BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES
DEPARTEMENT : BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
COURSE CODE : COMM 111
COURSE TITLE : COMMUNICATION SKILLS
TIME : 2 HOURS
INSTRUCTIONS:
• Answer all questions from Section A and Two questions from Section B
SECTION A
Question 1 Case Study
SKYLINE TOURS
Judy works as a tour guide for Skyline tours. Her work is part-time, usually two days a week, and she has been working for the company for about a year. On her first day she was told by the boss that everyone was to help out and if an extra tour was organized on the spot, then the guide would be expected to stay on board the tour bus and host the next tour, even if it wasn’t scheduled for that day. Judy asked if a retainer was paid to keep her time available after normal rostered hours. She was told that no retainer would paid and it was expected tat staff would be available. Judy felt this was unfair as the job was only part time and accounted for twelve hours total per week, yet she could not commit herself to any other work on the two evenings. However, the job was interesting and enjoyable, so she accepted the working conditions.
On this particular Saturday Judy’s best friend Linda was getting married at 6.00pm in the city and Judy decide to take her outfit in the car and go straight to the wedding. She was halfway through her tour shift, when a call came from base telling her that she was to stay onboard and take an unscheduled tour of Japanese tourists to the Blue Mountains. This means that the bus would not be back in the city until 8 pm. Judy contacted the boss at base to explain that this was impossible, because she was to be at Linda’s wedding at 6pm in the city. The boss said he was not interested and that she was to take the tour. Judy restated the fact that she could not take the tour and would have to finish at her scheduled time of 5.30pm. The tour bus driver warned her not to do this, as she may lose her job. He told her of other instances when people had displeased the boss and they had been dismissed. Judy felt this was unlikely, as she was a very successful guide and had actually made two promotional films for the company. She has also participated in many company promotions involving overseas tour companies and large international hotel chains and had worked many extra shifts in the evening taking out VIP guest. She was highly praised by all the tour operators and very popular with travel agents.
When she returned to base the boss was waiting at the disembarking station and as soon as she alighted form the bus he started yelling at her, Judy was stunned, especially at the tour group were disembarking and shaking her hand and thanking her, while the boss was standing next to her screaming. The station was very full as the next tour group was waiting to board the bus, so Judy felt completely humiliated. She tried to speak to the boss who just hissed at her through clenched teeth and told her to go and if she ever did this again, she would be sacked. Judy arrived at the wedding, feeling angry and sick, after bearing the brunt of so much anger and abuse. She decided the next day to resign, although she enjoyed, the job and had no other work but her tour guiding. She felt betrayed by the company because for a year she had been a committed employee, always available and willing to help.
On Monday she went to see the manger of the company who greeted her by saying, “I heard about all the trouble you caused on Saturday, I hope it won’t happen again. Judy gave him the letter of resignation and said she was leaving that day. The manger was stunned and reminded her of her responsibilities to the company. He jokingly said that the boss was not a bad guy, he just loses his temper sometimes and that they all had to put up with that. Judy said that she could not work for someone who was prepare to humiliate her in front of nearly two hundred people, and that she would lose self-respect if she continued working for a boss who treated his staff this-way.
a) i) Analyze the communication breakdown. (2marks)
ii) What were the communication barriers? (6marks)
iii) How could Judy and the boss have used feedback to diagnose the breakdown?
(2marks)
iv) What communication skills should the manger have used to overcome the
breakdown in communication in the company? (2marks)
iv) Concentrating on the communication concepts, what advice would you give
to Judy to help her achieve a more positive outcome? (3marks)
b) There are different types of interviews that take place in any organization, but their structure is generally the same. Briefly explain the various activities that take place in the pre-interview stage. (4marks)
c) Describe the way in which participants contribute to the success of a meeting.
(4marks)
d) Explain the various reading techniques university students can use to improve their reading skills. (6marks)
e) All the great speakers were bad speakers once. Explain. (5marks)
SECTION B
Question 2
Researchers report that one of the major limitations in establishing and maintaining relationship is the inability of the partners to listen efficiently.
a) Define listening and its five stages. (10marks)
b) Explain five barriers in the listener that may cause communication breakdown. How can these barriers be overcome or eliminated. (10marks)
Question 3
a) What does the expression ‘non-verbal communication’ mean? What kind of NVC signals would you associate with:
i) Confidence
ii) Nervousness
iii) Attentive listening
iv) Making someone feel welcome. (10marks)
b) Using examples from your own experience describe five factors/aspects that influence the non-verbal behavior. (10marks)
Question 4
Albert Einstein once dais “if I can not see it, I do not understand it”. Someone else said “A picture is worth a thousand words.”
a) Comment on these statements in the light of your understanding of visual aids in communication. (10marks)
b) List the features of well produced graphics. (8marks)
c) What is visual literacy. (2marks)
Question 5
a) What are the points to be considered when designing a form? (8marks)
b) As a financial analysist of ABC Ltd, you plan to design a form to show the trend in the performance of the ordinary shares for your company’s financial investment. The investments were in Wakulima ltd and Faida Ltd in the agricultural, housing and financial sectors respectively. Design a suitable form which you would use to present the necessary information to the managing director of ABC ltd. (12marks)
Question 6
a) Distinguish between a memo and a business letter. (6marks)
b) Assume that you are a staff representative on your company’s health and safety committee. You have received many reports from your colleagues complaining of aches pains and eye strain from sitting for long hours at computer terminals. Prepare a report of you investigation and the suggestions you received from the staff of the measures that they would like to see adopted to reduce the problems.
(14marks)
Question 7
Prepare a curriculum vitae for a person (not necessarily yourself) whom you can assume has several years experience of working in the computer industry or a job of your choice. This CV must be in a form that can be used to support a job application and should contain details of the person’s achievements and interest.
(20marks)
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